Dandelions
by Dez Draven
Summary: A wise man once told me, dandelions are sometimes misunderstood as being bad, as just bothersome weeds. But they're always stubbonly there, whether you want them there or not. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Newly updated!
1. Who can you talk to when nobody listens?

Hi all... my first HP fic, so don't be too harsh, please? Feedback is welcome also- just please be constructive. Disclaimer: I don't own Severus Snape, or anything/anyone else Harry Potter related. Thus, without further adieu...  
  
Dandelions  
  
Prologue:  
  
I walked around the room a minute, rocking the small child in my arms in an attempt to soothe her. I had always known raising a baby in a complex where children delight in causing chaos and screaming at all hours was a bad idea.  
  
"Hush-a-bye, don't you cry, go to sleep my little baby," I sang softly, as comfortingly as I could with a slight sore throat. "When you wake, you shall have all the pretty little dragons." Yes I know, the song goes 'all the pretty little ponies,' but if I was going to raise this kid, it wouldn't be in the usual manner. How could I, with her parents being who we were. I would teach my daughter to embrace the dark, not run from it, until she was old enough to understand right from wrong, danger from safety. But, thankfully, that wouldn't be for awhile yet.  
  
Hearing a creak from our bedroom, I walked quietly to the door. Had my love awoken and found me gone? No, just turning over. The moonlight shone delicately on his clear, pale skin, that raven's wing black hair, that face I fell for so long ago. I looked from him to the sleeping child- Celestina Judas; why had I let myself be talked into naming my firstborn Judas? Maybe we'd just call her Jay or Celine, we'll have to wait and see.  
  
As I was watching, my love opened one eye just barely. "Celli? Come to bed," he called softly. I couldn't help but smile, and walked over to the bedside. My love stretched out an arm for me to lay inside, and I happily snuggled up to him as his arm wrapped around me. Here, in the arms of my lover and husband, with my daughter sleeping soundly between us, I felt as if for the first time in my life, I belonged somewhere. It was a feeling I knew I'd never get tired of.  
  
Tilting my head up slightly, I kissed that beautiful man. "I love you, Severus," I whispered, but he had already fallen back asleep.  
  
About a week later, Severus Snape was pounding on his brother's door, soaked from running in the pouring rain. "Sam? Samuel? Please tell me you're awake!" he yelled.  
  
A light came on inside the house and Severus' older brother Samuel opened the door, bathrobe on over his pajamas. "What the bloody hell do you want?" he asked, somewhat irritated. Samuel calmed down, however, when he saw the terrified look in Severus' eyes. He'd never seen his little brother so scared before. "Well, at least get your hide in from the rain. You're not the village idiot you know."  
  
Severus obeyed and entered, dropping the hood of his soaked cloak.  
  
"Samuel, what's wrong," Samuel's wife, Heather, asked, decending the staircase and stopping halfway. Her hazel eyes were still a bit foggy with sleep.  
  
Just then, the sound of a baby crying filled the room.  
  
"What the bloody hell?" Heather asked.  
  
Samuel just looked at Severus as the younger Snape removed his cloak to reveal a very unhappy infant in his arms. She was hastily wrapped in a light purple blanket, but nothing more. Severus handed the baby to Samuel. "I trust you remember your niece Celine?"  
  
Samuel took Celine into his arms and started rocking her, trying to calm her down. "Now are you going to tell me what's going on before I kill you in front of your own daughter?"  
  
Severus sunk into a chair nearby and held his head in his hands. It took Samuel a minute to figure out that Severus was... crying? Once Severus had composed himself a bit and Celine had been quieted, Severus looked up at his older brother.  
  
"Celestina's dead, Sam. Voldemort killed her right in front of me, said she was getting in my way. But he didn't know- doesn't know- about Celine. You're her only chance. You have to take care of her for me."  
  
Heather stomped the rest of the way down the staircase. "Hell no," she said. "We can't take care of your snotty nosed little brat just because you made a stupid mistake. It's not our fault."  
  
"Heather darling, you know I love you but shut the bloody hell up," Samuel replied. "This child is not going to be sentanced to death just because you don't want the goddamn hassle. Of course we'll take care of her, Sev. No worries."  
  
Severus gave Samuel a weak smile. "Thank you. And if money is an issue," he shot a look at Heather, "I'll help you out all I can. Just remember.."  
  
"Yes yes, we don't exist, it's for our own protection, all that rubbish," Samuel recited.  
  
Heather just glared at the two men and went back upstairs to bed. Samuel put Celine in Severus' arms. "You might as well stay the night here, since it'll be the last time you see this little one for quite a while."  
  
Severus nodded, regaining his usual composure. Samuel gathered some blankets for him, and let the two sleep on the couch. In the morning the blankets were neatly stacked at the end of the couch, with a pillow between the baby and the edge of the couch, but no sign of Severus.  
  
"At least the kid sleeps quietly," Heather commented over her morning cup of coffee.  
  
"Will you be at least a bit nicer about this whole thing? Come on, it won't be all bad- the baby's on bottled milk right now, and Severus brags about how well behaved she is, well for a baby anyway."  
  
"Yeah whatever you say dear. I'll play the mommy card for you, I guess."  
  
Guess I should explain; the first part is written in Celestina's POV- bit of a strange reason why that is. Oh well- stay tuned for Chapter 1! -Dez 


	2. Where can you hide when your world falls...

Ah, here it is- the much awaited additions to 'Dandelions'! Soon, I need to think of a title and begin posting the other HP fic I'm working on, a prelude to this one. To clarify beforehand, Orenda is my sister's creation- Severus' half sister who was intimately close to Sirius. Time frame is Year 6. Hm... guess this means I'll have to work on these stories more often now... darn, there goes my free time. Insert standard disclaimer here.  
  
The Funeral  
  
Celestina J. Snape stood in front of the mirror she had hung on her bedroom wall. She smoothed her long black hair back into a bun, held with her favorite green ponytail bands, and stared into her own eyes a moment. There was no redness or any other signs that she'd been crying last night, so she picked up her black eyeliner and began applying her makeup. After a few minutes, her skin was satisfactorily pale and her blue-green eyes were rimmed with black. She almost put on her black lipstick, but decided to go with some clear gloss instead. As much as she had loved disobeying her mother, her father and uncle never liked her black lips.

There came a gentle knock on her bedroom door. "Celine, are you decent? We need to get going now," Severus called as gently as he could. Celine could tell that he was a bit uncomfortable using such gentle tones, and she appreciated the effort (though she'd never admit it).

Celine wrapped her formal black robe around herself, covering the short black dress she'd chosen for the day, and silently walked out the door and downstairs. At the bottom of the stairs she paused a minute, not looking behind her. Severus soon followed, his formal cloak billowing around his slender body like it always seemed to, put a hand on her shoulder, and Dissapparated to the cemetery.

Once there, Celine allowed herself to be led to the gravesite, where other relatives had begun to gather. There were murmurs of "oh there's the poor dear" and "I wonder how well she's taking it?" but Celine ignored them all. 'Some kind of family I've got. Half of these people I didn't even know about until now- they probably just came for the free food. Such wonderful, caring people. Why don't they just go sod off?' Celine thought to herself. Then her eyes came to rest on the two coffins directly ahead of her. All the while, Severus kept his hand protectively on Celine's shoulder, his eyes always scanning the surroundings, sometimes nodding at relatives. He felt somehow that he should draw Celine closer, wrap his arm around her shoulders maybe, attempt to be more affectionate and comforting. Then again, that would only serve to make himself and Celine more uncomfortable than necessary.

The pair stopped beside the coffins and looked down, almost in unison. There lay Samuel and Heather Snape, their eyes peacefully closed. Samuel had always kept his black hair shorter than Severus; so short in fact that he'd gotten teased about trying to be a 'pretty boy'. Celine's eyes lingered on her mother- warm dark brown hair against alabaster skin, hazel eyes now closed. How often had she and this woman squared off? How many times had those hard eyes glared at her, those thin lips scolded her, and those hands pinched her shoulder? Yet, Celine was sure she'd miss her, though she had no clue why. She reached inside her robe and pulled out a dandelion. 'Dandelions are sometimes misunderstood as being bad, as just bothersome weeds,' she could hear her father telling her. 'But they're always stubbornly there, whether you want them there or not. I admire the spirit of a dandelion.' Now both of them dead at the hands of Death Eaters. Celine closed her eyes and placed the dandelion on her father's folded hands. Severus, sensing that Celine was done here, led her to their seats on the front row.

A few moments later, a black haired lady walked up to Severus, followed closely by twin girls. "Severus," the lady said softly.

"So nice of you to come," Severus replied, not looking at her.

"If you want me to leave just tell me and we'll go."

"Nobody asked you to come, but the free food's in the next tent," Celine said softly, in the trademark Snape deadpan.

"I didn't come for the food, I came for my family."

"Really? Because I came for the food myself," Celine toned, rising from her seat and wandering to the buffet.

Severus rose also and watched Celine walk off.

"Severus, do you want me here? If not then I can leave as easily as I came," Orenda said, a slightly hurt tone in her voice.

Severus looked from Celine to Orenda and back again. Satisfied that Celine was fine for now, he turned his attention back to Orenda for the moment. "Please don't leave again, Orenda. You don't know how I looked for you, especially after- well after you left. It's just- I can't leave Celine alone right now."

"Of course I won't leave," Orenda responded. She dropped her voice so that only Severus could hear her, "Does she know?"

Severus shook his head and opened his mouth to explain when a flash of light from the buffet tent caught his eye. Celine had somehow gotten hold of a sharp knife and, as Severus ran over to her, slit one wrist vertically and watched the blood drip onto the grass.

"Celestina Judas!" Severus said, yelling without raising his voice like only he could do. He snatched the knife away from Celine and, pulling his wand from his robes, healed the wound. He then wiped the blood from her skin with his robes. Celine just looked at him, her eyes seemingly dead, and then she collapsed on the grass. Though she didn't make a sound, tears started rolling down her cheeks, smearing her eyeliner all down her face. Severus took her into his arms and carried her away, just letting the girl cry silently. He looked over his shoulder at Orenda and the girls just behind her, and Dissapparated.

Once back to Celine's house, Severus carried the girl into her room and laid her down in her bed. She had stopped crying for the moment, and was half-asleep, so Severus left her alone and sat on a chair right outside her bedroom door. Severus then attempted to reach Orenda through a mental link unused but still strong. At first he just searched for her, then he called to her.

'Severus? What is it?' Orenda responded, her concern coming through with the words.

'I wanted to ask a visit of you, if you could,' Severus replied, as if choosing his words carefully. 'There's much I'd like to tell you..'

'Now or later?'

'As soon as you can get away. I believe Celine's asleep for the night.'

'I'm on my way.'

Severus smiled slightly, 'Thank you.'

'Of course' she responded, and in a couple minutes there was a knock on the front door.

Severus rose and, after quickly checking on Celine (fast asleep), he went downstairs and opened the door.

"How's she holding up?" Orenda inquired.

"Hard to tell. She's talking even less than she ever did before."

"Well that's to be expected. I was the same way."

Severus led Orenda into the living room and offered her a seat. "Why did you come today?"

"You expected me not to?"

Severus just watched Orenda. "Didn't think I'd ever see you again. Didn't know what to expect. Why wouldn't you answer any of my calls?"

"After the way we parted last time I was too angry and after I calmed down I didn't think you would want to see me."

"I'm sorry I ever made you think that."

"What was it you wanted to talk about?"

Severus took a deep breath. "Well, mostly wanted to see how you were doing."

"I'm alright," Orenda responded in an emotionless voice that was nothing like her.

Severus stood next to Orenda and placed a hand on her shoulder. "In spite of what I might have done and said, I'm still your brother Orenda. You can talk to me."

"I'm fine Severus really," she replied in the same voice not looking up.

Severus knelt down, trying to meet her eyes. "You're not a very good liar."

"Damn it Severus! How am I supposed to be?" she softly exclaimed as a few tears escaped her eyes.

Severus stood up and just looked at Orenda, "I'm just worried about you, is all. You and Celine upstairs are nearly all I have left."

"I know he despised me and we fought whenever we were in the same building but he was still my brother and to lose him so soon after..."

Severus sat next to Orenda and gingerly put an arm around her shoulders.

"How have you been doing? I've been told you're Potions Master at Hogwarts," Orenda commented with a half smile as she quickly wiped away any trace of the tears.

"Yes, well I've begun to sympathize a bit with our old Potions Master. Apparently, your little group left behind a legacy," Severus replied in an attempt to cheer Orenda up. He failed.

"Yeah we were troublemakers weren't we?" she replied in the same emotionless voice.

"Have you talked to Lupin at all?"

"Yeah. I'm staying with him until school starts."

"And then what?"

"I don't know probably go back home. What about you?" Orenda watched Severus, "Are you going to tell her?"

"I'll have to tell her sooner or later. Preferably later." Severus looked down, unconsciously staring straight at his now invisible Mark.

"The longer you wait the harder it's going to be."

"You're right, of course. But she's not an idiot like so many of her peers. Even if I don't tell her who I am, she'll find out. And she'll hate me for it," Severus said softly.

"You'll just have to explain it to her and let her decide what she thinks."

"I will, but not for a little while. Maybe I'm being selfish, but I just got my daughter back and I don't want to risk losing her yet."

"You're not being selfish and I'll be there for you always."

Severus closed his eyes and remembered that night so many years ago, trying to show Orenda in explanation.

"Severus I'm sorry about what happened in the past. We both did and said things we regret but I promise you I will never leave you like that again." Orenda replied as a little sadness slipped into her voice.

Severus slipped one of Orenda's hands into his and gave a gentle squeeze, not quite comfortable with giving her a hug.

"Is there any way you can forgive me and the way I acted?"

"If you can find a way to forgive me. I only ever wanted to protect you."

"I forgave you long ago."

Severus let a small smile slip, then suddenly stood up and looked upstairs.

"What's wrong?"

"Quiet a moment- I thought I heard something," Severus replied. A few seconds later there was a small crash upstairs. Orenda quickly stood concern washing every other emotion from her features.

Severus rushed upstairs and immediately checked Celine's room. Her mirror was broken, but Celine herself was nowhere to be found. On the floor beneath the mirror, amidst the shattered glass, was a now-broken framed photograph of Samuel, Heather, and Celine on her first day of wizarding school nearly five years ago. The three figures in the photo were quite upset, and young Celine stormed out. Orenda had followed Severus upstairs, and let out a soft gasp when she saw the room.

"Celine?" Severus called softly, looking all around the room. "Celestina, where are you?"

Celine opened the door of her closet and walked out. "Don't call me that," she hissed.

Orenda silently turned and headed back down stairs.

Celine watched Orenda leave the room. "Bringing dates over now, are we?"

'Maybe I should go,' Orenda sent from back downstairs.

'Probably. Keep in touch, okay sis? I'm definitely going to need your help.'

'You know how to find me.'

"How insensitive can you be? Trying to have a go at some lady you probably only met today, in my house? Were you going to use Father's bed too?" Celine slapped Severus angrily. Severus grabbed Celine's wrist before she could hit him again and, muttering a simple spell, cleared away the broken glass

"Get your sleep, girl," Severus hissed at Celine. "You'll be packing to move first thing in the morning."

With this, Severus let go and stormed out of Celine's room, slamming the door shut. Sinking into the chair beside her door, Severus sighed, "Merlin help me," and was sleeping in that same chair when Celine awoke and opened her door the next morning.


	3. Who do you turn to when you turn invisib...

Konniciwa, minna-san!  It's been a long time I know, but due to some bugging, I am finally posting up chapter 2.  I don't own anyone or anything in the original Harry Potter universe- my nametag at work says Dez not JK Rowling- and I only lay claim to Celine.  Orenda, Kallan, and Zila all belong to my sis.  Read, review, destroy, enjoy!

Chapter 2: First Impressions

Celine blinked the fog of sleep from her eyes and just stared in surprise. "Uncle Sev?"

Severus jerked awake and stood immediately, narrowly avoiding tripping on the hem of his robes. "Celine! Awake already I see. You slept well?"

"Decent." The truth was, Celine's dreams had been haunted by a strange voice singing a lullaby that she could not remember ever hearing before. Something about pretty little dragons. Blinking again, Celine yawned and for a second, she could have sworn she saw Severus grin.

"Better get ready," Severus said matter-of-factly. "There's much to be done today."

Celine nodded as Severus descended the staircase. About fifteen minutes later she descended also, wearing a green tanktop and matching pleated skirt, to find Orenda sitting at the kitchen table waiting.

Celine's eyes narrowed into small bluegreen slits. "I thought you left last night," she hissed. "Get out of my house, you cheap Mudblood slut."

Orenda just looked at Celine, one eyebrow raised. "Are you done now? Feel any better?"

While Celine just stood there looking a bit puzzled, Severus walked into the room. "Might I ask that you speak a bit more kindly to your aunt, Celine?"

"What? Aunt?" Celine asked. She looked from Severus to Orenda and back again. "Explain. Now."

"This is Orenda, Samuel's and my half-sister," Severus explained patiently.

"He and I didn't exactly get along very well," Orenda added quietly. "Just thought I'd help you move your things to Hogwarts today."

Celine still looked at Orenda suspiciously. "My trunk's already packed. In my room."

"Is that all you wish to bring?" Severus asked, an almost bored look on his face.

Celine answered with a glare.

"Then we'll be off," Orenda replied.

Around noon, Celine found herself looking at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the first time. Snape and Orenda walked slightly ahead of her, with her charmed trunk floating in front of him. "Professor Dumbledore has arranged quarters for you near mine for the remainder of the summer, but once school starts you will be expected to sleep in your House dormitory. This is now your home, just as it is mine."

"My House?" Celine asked.

"You'll be Sorted into a House before the beginning of the term," Orenda explained as the two walked through the front entrance. They took a turn to the left, down into the dungeons. "Professor Dumbledore will summon you after you've had a bit of time to settle in." Snape led the way down a hallway just before the Potions classroom and his offices. He stopped at two doors across the hall from each other's and entered the one on the right. "Here are your quarters- thought you might prefer one with windows," he said, setting the charmed luggage down by a four-poster bed with black silk curtains. Snape and Orenda then turned and left Celine to settle in.

Celine and Snape didn't see each other much over the last few weeks before the first day of school. The Sorting Hat had placed her in Slytherin, saying "It's in your very blood- where else could you go?" Celine briefly wondered what that was supposed to mean, since her parents had gone to a different wizarding school. In fact, they'd both gone to the school she'd just left. Dumbledore gave Celine almost free reign of the school so that she could familiarize herself with the different hallways and such.

"You don't want to stand out too much now, do you?" he had asked. Celine shook her head 'no'.

Soon enough, she had a general feel of how things were going to be at Hogwarts. Snape left a note on her door one morning that read, "You'll go by your mother's maiden name while here- you and I will be merely teacher and student once the term begins." Celine had to think a moment to remember what name that would be- she had asked her mother what her maiden name was many years ago.

"Wyndam," Heather had replied. "Her name was Wyndam."

"Her name was Wyndam?" Celine had asked, confused.

"I mean your grandmother," Heather quickly explained. "Your grandmother's name was Wyndam."

Sitting on her bed, Celine thought about it. Celine J. Wyndam? It wasn't too bad, she decided. Could be worse. Could be Celestina Judas Snape. She shuddered. Celestina had always sounded too ethereal, too romanticized for her to be comfortable hearing on a regular basis.

Celine also got a chance to meet the other professors whose classes she would be attending. She had achieved very good scores on her OWLs the year before, and so was able to take the same classes she had wanted to take at her old school- Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, and her secret favorite Potions.

All too soon, the day came when the other students started arriving and the house-elves moved Celine's things into her assigned dormitory bedroom. Meticulously, Celine applied her dark makeup, braided her hair, and dressed carefully in her school uniform. As the other students filed into the Great Hall, Celine blended in and found a relatively secluded spot at the Slytherin table. She watched as the students behind her found their seats, talked and laughed with their friends, and of course completely ignored her. Celine stared at them with seemingly dead eyes, so that anyone who did happen to notice her got the message to leave her alone. The only possible exception was a girl about her age who was the last person to sit down at the Slytherin table. She had long black hair with dark red highlights that fell gently against her black robes, and tanned skin. Celine grinned inwardly- now here was a person at least as antisocial as she. Feeling a bit mischievous, Celine nearly started to annoy this girl when Professor Dumbledore stood up to give his 'welcome back' speech.

"Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts. All students should note that the Forbidden Forest is indeed forbidden, now more then ever. Hogsmeades trips will be for fifth years and above. Due to Voldemort's return we will be adding a new class to our agenda which will be required for all students. To teach this new Survival class we have Lady Zila Night who comes to us from the Silver Wood School of Mystical Arts."

At the mention of her name a tall young woman with dark brown hair stood and swept the hall with her deep blue eyes. She gave them a friendly smile before returning to her seat beside Professor Snape who had his usual scowl.

As she sat down Professor Dumbledore continued his speech, "Along with this new class, security around Hogwarts has been increased. Heading our efforts is Lady Orenda Black who also comes to us from Silver Wood School of Mystical Arts where she instructed Defense classes," he smiled getting a young woman with black hair shining in places with deep red highlights to stand and give a small bow of her head. "I expect each and every one of you to do as she instructs with respect," he added as she sat down between Snape and Remus Lupin who stood as he was welcomed back as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. When he finished the introductions the feast began and later everyone headed to bed.

Celine and the girl walked casually out of the Great Hall with the other Slytherins to their dungeon common room. Completely by coincidence, Celine ended up following this girl the whole way. Since everyone else had already gotten there by the time Celine and the girl entered the common room, it was naturally fairly noisy. A boy their age with slicked-back white blonde hair walked up to the girl.

"Hey Kallan," he greeted. "What have you been up to? I didn't see you at the table."

Kallan just kept walking.

"Hey, I asked you a question!" the boy said again. By this time a few other Slytherin boys were watching him. Kallan again ignored him and kept walking in the direction of the girls' dormitory rooms.

The boy, a bit agitated and embarrassed by now, walked up to Kallan and grabbed her arm, trying to force her to face him. "What's with you?" he asked angrily.

Kallan just looked him calmly in the eye and replied, barely audible to anyone not standing near them, "Draco, let me go."

Blinking, Draco nodded slightly and stepped back, allowing Kallan to proceed on her way to her dorm room. Celine, though rather unwillingly, proceeded to follow Kallan in the direction of the dorm room. By the time Celine reached the door, Kallan had already shut the curtains around her bed, and soon Celine had followed suit. She just lay on top of the blanket and stared into space. From nowhere, that song that had been haunting her dreams nearly every night since the funeral started playing in her head. _"Hush a bye, don't you cry, go to sleep my little baby. When you wake, you will find all the pretty little dragons."_ The lullaby still playing in her head, Celine fell asleep.


End file.
